A week to go, Bandra bypoll campaign takes communal turn

But with Rane as its candidate this bypoll, the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to regain this lost support base. The bypoll was necessitated by the demise of SS’s Prakash Sawant in January 2015. The saffron party has since fielded Sawant’s wife Trupti in the bypoll.

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Rane has entered the fray as a final gamble after the Shiv Sena handed him a stunning defeat in his pocket borough Sindhudurg. But even his staunchest supporters concede it could be an uphill task for Rane, especially with AIMIM star campaigners Asaduddin Owaisi and brother Akbaruddin camping in Bandra, along with party legislators from Hyderabad.

In their election rallies, the Owaisis have questioned Rane’s secular credentials, reminding voters that Rane was with Shiv Sena when the Mumbai riots took place in 1992-1993. “Did he (Rane) not warn of dire consequences if the Shrikrishna Commission report (it had blamed Bal Thackeray for Mumbai riots) was not implemented?” AIMIM’s candidate Rehbar (Raja) Khan is heard asking voters as he campaigns in Muslim-dominated colonies and slums. He also makes it a point to tell voters that the controversial bill on the beef ban in Maharashtra was first introduced during the previous SS-BJP government with Rane at its helm.

The Congress, too, has sharpened its volleys against AIMIM. “AIMIM is Shiv Sena’s pet. It has entered the election to help communal forces,” Rane quipped during his campaign in Behrampada, on Saturday. Congress MP Raj Babbar, who was also present, took personal digs at the Owaisis. “Where were the Hyderabadi brothers (Owaisis) when Mumbai was burning in 1992? MIM has only divided Hindus and Muslims.”

Amid the poll drama, a March 3, 2015 tweet posted by Rane’s son and former MP Nilesh, where he had said, “Hindus to produce more kids. It’s fine. But the people that MIM brothers represent have to stop producing looking at the crime rate (sic)” surfaced and is being widely circulated. Indicating that the AIMIM was behind its circulation, Nilesh said that the “AIMIM was now resorting to dirty tricks since it knows that it has lost favour with Muslim voters.” He clarified, “It is an old tweet where I have referred to AIMIM and their brand of politics. It is not a commentary on the Muslim community. I greatly respect the community. My childhood friends were Muslims. It is a move to tarnish the image and perception of the Rane family.”

The Shiv Sena, which sees Rane as its prinicipal opposition, is hoping that AIMIM edges out Congress in Muslim pockets. On its part, the Shiv Sena too has been taking cheeky swipes at Rane, with some senior leaders such as MP Vinayak Raut even calling him names that make a reference to his chequered past. While the Rane family has not engaged in the mudslinging with Sena as part of a strategy, Rane has deployed second rung campaigners to launch counter attacks.

Rane’s younger son Nitesh, who is managing his father’s campaign, says, “Our plank is development, primarily. There is lack of cleanliness and hygiene in the constituency. People have been deprived of shelter with redevelopment projects being stalled for years. We are promising that these would be sorted on priority.” While the SS too is promising development, insiders admitted that its main plank is the ‘sympathy’ vote and division of secular votes. “We’ll finish Rane off this time,”

Shiv Sena’s Anil Parab said. Yuva Sena leader Aditya Thackeray campaigned for Trupti Sawant Sunday.

Narayan Rane offered me Rs 17 crore to drop out of race, claims MIM candidate

AIMIM’s Bandra candidate Raja Rehbar Khan has claimed that Narayan Rane offered him Rs 17 crore to withdraw his candidature.”I have call records to prove that Rane and other senior Congress leaders were in touch with me. I was offered upto Rs 17 crore for not contesting, and later for withdrawing my candidature,” said Khan.

“If they (Rane camp) say that I’m only an agent for the Shiv Sena and that I would not be a factor, why then did they offer me money?” he added, claiming he was confident of winning the elections. While Rane was unavailable for comment, son Nitesh labeled the allegation as a ‘joke’. He said, “While it’s true that we were in touch with Khan and had appealed not to contest for non division of secular votes, it is laughable that he claims he was offered money. Let him show evidence,” Nitesh said. Elder brother Nilesh added, “Khan is a big liar. They (AIMIM) have tried all tricks to sway voters, but have failed. They are now out to tarnish our image.”

sandep.ashar@expressindia.com